Hanging for flexible structures.



S. S. LAKE. HANGING FOR FLEXIBLE STRUCTURES. APPLIOATIQN FILED NOV.13, 1913.

1,090,993. Patented Mar. 24; 19m

WITNESSES:

'S E/ S bah E xmm NI/EN TOR COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0. WASHINGTON, n. c.

SIDNEY S. LAKE, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

HANGING FOR FLEXIBLE STRUCTURES.

Application fi led November 13, 1913. Serial No. 800,714.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY S. LAKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of San Jose, county of Santa 1 Clara, and State of California, have invent ed certain new and useful Improvements in Hangings for Flexible Structures, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates, to hangings for flexible structures and particularly flexible structures which are arranged to be raised and lowered, such as curtains, drop curtains or scene drops.

An object of the invention is to provide a hanging which operates to prevent sagging or bellying of the flexible structure.

Another object of the invention is to pr0- vide a hanging which overcomes the breaking and splitting of the battens to which the flexible structure is attached.

The invention possesses other advantageous features which, with the foreg0ing,'will be set forthat length in thefollowing description, where I shall outline in full that form of the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. The novelty of the invention will be includedin the claims succeeding said. description. F romthis it will be apparent that I do not limit myself to the showing made by said drawings and description as I may adopt many variations within the scope of my invention as set forth in said claims.

.Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a part of a batten to which the flexible structure is attached,

7 showing one form of the hanging of my invention, part of the batten being broken away. to better disclose the construction. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the structure shown. in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross section taken. on the line 3-3 Fig. 1. Fig. 4- is an elevation of a section of batten showing a modified form of construction. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a modified form of hang ing; the front batten having been removed.

Fig. 6 is a top or plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a cross section-taken on the line 6-6 Fig. 5.

Flexible structures of the character stated are almost invariably attached at their upper ends to a stiffening member, usually composed of two battens fastened together and the flexible structure is usually tacked or otherwise fastened to the inner face. of

, one of the battens so thatthe upper edge of the flexible structure usually occurs between the two battens. For the purpose of convenience, I will hereafter refer to the flexible structure as a curtain, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to curtains. These curtains must be raised and lowered when they are set up on the stage of the theater and for this reason the battens have heretofore been provided with transverse holes through which the supporting ropes were passed and then tied. These rope holes occur at about the vertical center of the battens, and consequently the upper part of the battens carried all of the strain, with the result that. the battens continuallysplit along the line of the holes. Further, it is essential in order thatthe curtain hang. properly, that the batten remain substan tially rigid and the batten is made of such width that this result is produced when the plane. When the ropes are passed through the holes and knotted, however, the knots often occur at one side or the other of the battens, so that not infrequently the batten Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 24:, 1914. v

j inner surface of the batten lies in a vertical is tilted over at an angle transversely and the accompanying sag of the batten produces an improperly hung curtain.

vBy the use of my invention the weight of the curtain is carried by the whole batten instead of by the upper half only, so that the tendency to split is obviated and the hangings are such that the greatest cross sectional dimension of the batten is always held by the ropes in a vertical plane, so that it will not sag, at the same time rendering the attachment of the ropes much easier than was possible by the old method.

The upper end of the flexible structure or curtain 12 lies between the two battens 13-14 and is attached to either or both of l range U-shaped straps-15 extending around the bottoms and up onto the sides of the battens and these straps 15 are securely held in place by pins, bolts or rivets 16 passing transversely through the battens and the ends of the straps. At the points where these pins, bolts or rivets pass through the battens I provide pockets 17 openingupward onto thetop of the battens. These pockets may either be formed by cuttingaway portions of the inner surfaces of the battens surrounding the holes through which the bolts or rivets pass, or may be formed by spreading the battens apart at the holes by any suitable means such as the wedge 18. The pockets formed by the first named method are preferably closed at the bottom and those formed by the wedge construction are preferably open at the top and bottom. Engaging the bolts or rivets and disposed in the pockets are links to which the supporting ropes are attached. The links are generally made of substantially the same width as the pockets so that they have no appreciable transverse movement.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, in which closed bottom pockets are employed, the pockets extend below the pins or bolts 16 so that the links 21 are capable of a vertical movement with respect to the battens. In their lower position, the links 21 are disposed entirely within the pocket, and in their elevated or raised position they extend partly above the top of the battens so that the ropes may be attached thereto. In order to facilitate the raising of the links 21, the battens are provided with cut away portions or depressions 19, on their upper 0 prising a pair of contiguous battens between which the upper edge of the structure is surface at opposite sides of the pockets, so that the link may be grasped by the fingers. V In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the

1 pocket is formed more shallow and the link 21 is held stationary between the pin 16 and the bottom of thepocket, with the upper portion of the link projecting above the top of the battens.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the link 22 is made longer and is pivoted to the pin or bolt 16, so that it may be swung into and out of the pocket,

- which is slightly longer than the link. By

to the battens and passing through the pocket acts as a stop for the link 22, preventing it from dropping through the pocket and holdingit in such position that it may readily be removed. In this coni struction, as in that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. .thedepressions '1 may be used, or a cord gaging said pins.

24 attached to the link may be attached at its other end to the batten, to facilitate the withdrawal of the link. i v

I claim:

1. A hanging for flexible structures comprising a pair of battens to which the structure is attached atits upper end, a strap encircling the lower portion of said battens, a pin passing through said battens and the ends of a strap and a linkengaging-said pinand adapted to extend above the upper edge of said battens, said battens being pro- 'vided with a pocket in which said link is disposed.

2. A hanging for flexible structures comprising a batten to which said structure is attached at its upper end, a pin extending through said batten, a strap engaging the lower surface of said batten and said pin, and a link engaging said pin and projecting above the upperedge of said batten, said batten being provided with a pocket arranged midway between its sides in which the link is disposed.

3. A hanging for flexible structures comprising a pair of contiguous. battens between which the upper edge of the structure is disposed, a plurality of straps spaced apart longitudinally of the battens engaging the lower surface thereof and extending upward at the sides of the battens, pins passing through the upper portions of said straps and through said battens, said battens being provided at their contiguous surfaces with pockets surrounding said pins and links disposed in said pockets and en- 4:. A hanging for flexible structurescomdisposed, a pin extending transversely through said battens, said battens being provided with an elongated pocket contiguous to said pin, and a link engaging said pin adapted to be moved completely said pocket.

5. A hanging for flexible structurescom prising a pair ofcontiguous battens between which the upper edge of thestructure is disposed, said battens being provided with.

and being arranged to be moved entirely into said pocket.

6. A hanging prising a pairof contiguous battens between which the upper edge of the structure is disposed, a .,.p1 urality of straps spaced apartl into.

for flexible structures com tens being provided at their contiguous surv faces with pockets surrounding said pins, and along their upper edges with depressions in line with said pockets, and links disposed in said pockets and surrounding 10 said pins.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 7th day of November 1913.

SIDNEY S. LAKE.

In presence of H. G. PRos'r, M. LE CoNTE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

